Is the army trying to topple Pak government?

November 05, 2009 15:12 IST

Pakistan's ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani's days in office may well be numbered, as experts believe that the powerful military is hell-bent upon his removal, which may ultimately be targeted at the downfall of the civilian government, which is already under severe threat.

While Haqqani has rebuked reports about his removal, which seemed evident primarily due to his questionable involvement in the adaptation of some the harsh conditions in the Kerry Lugar Bill, a report in The Boston Globe said the top Pakistani diplomat in Washington was fighting for his survival.

According to experts, the Pakistan army is carefully planning Haqqani's removal for the downfall of the state's democratic set-up, which has been threatened by a number of issues.

"The attacks on Haqqani were carefully orchestrated by the military to weaken the government he represents. These are the first rumblings of the storm. This is the beginning of the military trying to take down this civilian government," the report quoted Samina Ahmed, an Islamabad-based analyst for the International Crisis Group, as saying.

According to the newspaper, Haqqani is fighting for his survival amid reports that the Pakistan army has raised strong objections over his dubious role in preparing the framework for the controversial US aid, which offers Islamabad 7.5 billion dollars annually over the next five years.

"The furore (over the conditions set in the bill) has exposed a dangerous, continuing struggle between Pakistan's powerful military, which Haqqani criticised as a professor (at Boston University), and the fledgling, democratically elected government. The military clearly has decided that it would like to have him removed," the newspaper said.